Billerica residents cycle toward $52M in Pan-Mass Challenge

Thursday

Jun 28, 2018 at 6:09 PMJun 28, 2018 at 6:09 PM

On Aug. 4-5, 18 riders from Billerica will cycle up to 192 miles in the Pan-Mass Challenge with the goal of topping last year’s record-breaking gift and raising $52 million for cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

During PMC weekend, over 6,200 cyclists from more than 40 states and seven countries will gather in Massachusetts to participate in the PMC. Riders include everyone from seasoned triathletes to weekend warriors and range in age from 15 to 84. Many ride to honor a family member or friend lost to, or being treated for cancer, and more than 850 riders and volunteers are cancer survivors or current patients themselves, and considered Living Proof of the PMC mission.

Designed to cater to all levels of cycling and fundraising ability, the PMC offers 12 different routes, varying in mileage and difficulty, that pass through 46 towns across the Commonwealth, with starting lines in Sturbridge, Wellesley and Bourne. Cyclists are required to raise between $600 and $8,000, depending on the chosen route, though the average cyclist raises more than $7,000, which exemplifies the spirit of the PMC and its riders. Volunteers, spectators, donors and sponsors are also part of the camaraderie on ride weekend, all working together in hopes of one day eradicating cancer.

The PMC donates 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to Dana-Farber through the its fundraising arm, the Jimmy Fund, and is the institute’s largest single contributor, raising more than 53 percent of the Jimmy Fund’s annual revenue. In 2017, the PMC gave a record gift of $51 million to Dana-Farber, bringing it’s 38-year contribution to a total of more than $598 million since its inception in 1980.

The PMC is presented by the Red Sox Foundation and New Balance. To make a financial contribution to a rider or become a virtual rider, call 800-WE-CYCLE or visit https://pmc.org.